Trestle.



PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

H. M. LAY.

TRESTLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 810,776. I PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

v H. M. LAY.

TRES'I'LE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. ,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 2 Hw mza j HARRY M. LAY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

' TRESTLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1906.

Application filed May 1,1905. Serial No. 258.219.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY M. LAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trestles, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding trestles, and has forits object the production of a device that may be readily adjusted foruse in rooms or halls of varying widths.

A further object is to provide a trestle the legs of which may at alltimes be out of the way of the feet of the user and at thesame time beunder the center of the trestle.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained bymy invention, embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Y Figure 1 is a perspective view of my trestle. Fig.2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the directionindicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3 ofFig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 4 is aplan view of my trestle with the end of the horizontal bar folded back.Fig. 5 is a perspective view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on theline 6 6 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, andFig. 7 is a perspective view of the trestle in folded condition.

Like letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figuresof the drawings.

Referrin by letter to the accompanying drawings, A B B represent legspivoted together in pairs at or near their middle by means of bolts orpivots a b. The top bar 0 is slidably secured to one of each pair oflegs by a pivot or bolt 0, mounted in a slot 0 in said top bar. Theupper side of this slot is provided with a series of notches D D D Dadapted to engage the bolt 0. The bottom of the top bar at the other endis provided with a series of inwardly-extending notches d d d (1 Withinwhich the ends E E of the other two legs may be seated. These two legsare hingingly secured together by means of pivot plates or hinges G,preferably attached near their upper ends. A stop or brace F is pivotedto one of the legs and adapted to engage the opposite leg to hold thelegs apart.

The top of the top bar C over the slot 0 is chamfered, as at 0 so thatthe upper portions of the legs may more closely engage the bar. The bar0 is broken at H,-and the two portions are hingingly secured together. Iprefer to have the loose portion C swing horizontally on a pivot i. J isa movable reinforcing-strip comprising a sheet of metal bent to conformto the top and sides of the bar C and having, preferably, a slot jin theupper face. k k are screws, bolts, or stops in the top of the bar forthe purpose of limiting the movement of the stop and also to keep it ina horizontal position. The notches D D, &c., and d d, &c., are so placedthat the legs may be under the center of the bar C, and as the legs arepivoted at or near their centers the ends of the bar C will project overthe ends of the legs. These legs may be arranged, if desired, by varyingthe positions of the ends in the notches so that one end only mayproject over, or the distance of projection may be varied on the twosides.

One of the objections to trestles now in use is that the feet of thetrestle are in the way of the feet of the operator, with the consequentliability of upsetting the trestle. My trestle, when the bar is extendedat its full length, as at Fig. 1, is adapted to receive three boards,such as ordinarily used by paper-hangers, and is so used when ingrain orwide paper is to be pasted or trimmed. When, however, narrow paper is tobe used, two boards will suffice, and the position of the. trestle is asshown in Fig. 4. The work of the paperhanger is necessarily performed onthe ground, as it were, or in the room to be papered. Consequently whenthe work is to be performed in a narrow space it has heretofore beennecessary for the workman to set up the trestles in an adjoining room,with a consequent loss of time and skill, and he is also put to a greatinconvenience in bringing the pasted paper from one room to another. Mytrestle, in position as shown in Fig. 4, is adapted for use in thenarrowest-halls and'at the same time leaving room for the workman topass around same without inconvenience and waste of time. The trestlemay, if preferred, be set up so that the bar 0 extends over .the legs agreater distance on one side than on the other, in which position theextra length is utilized to hold the straight-edge, widening-board, orother tools used by the operator.

By the use of bolts or screws 7c 76, adapted to prevent the verticalmovement of the plate J, the point of union between the parts C C isrendered as strong as either bar, and

one of said pairs, a top bar adapted to slidably engage said pivot andto removably engage the top of the other air of legs at various pointsin the length 0 the beam.

2. In a trestle, the combination with two pairs of legs, a pivotconnecting the top of one of said pairs, a top bar adapted to slidablyengage said pivot and to removably engage the top of the other pair oflegs at various points in the length of the beam, and means for causingsaid pair of legs to tightly grip said top bar.

3. In a trestle, the combination with two pairs of legs, a pivotconnecting the top of one of said pairs, a top bar adapted to slidablyengage said pivot and to removably engage the top of the other pair oflegs, and means for causing said pair of legs to tightly grip said topbar, said means comprising a series of notches in said top bar and aspreaderpivotally attached to one of said legs and adapted to engage thecorresponding le of the other pair.

4. n a trestle, thecombination with two pairs of legs, a pivotconnecting the top of one of said pairs, a top bar provided with a slotat one end and within which said pivot is adapted to move, said top barbeing also provided with a series of inwardly-extending notches ada tedto receive the to s of the other pair 0 legs, and a spreader Formaintaining said legs apart and to cause the tops of same to firmly gripsaid top bar.

5. In a trestle, the combination with two pairs of legs, a pivotconnecting the top of one of said pairs, a top bar provided with a slotat one end and within which said pivot is adapted to move, said slotbeing provided with series of notches for engaging said pivot, said topbar being also provided with a series of inwardly-extending notches adated to receive the tops of the other pair of egs, and a spreader formaintaining said legs apart and to cause the tops of same to firmly gripsaid top bar.

6. In a trestle, the combination with two pairs of legs, a pivotconnecting the tops of one of said pairs, a sectionally-hinged top baradapted to slidably engage said pivot and to removably engage the top ofthe other pair of legs at various points in the length of the beam.

7. In a trestle, the combination with two pairs of legs, a pivotconnecting the top of one of said pairs, a sectionally-hinged top barprovided with a slot at one end and within which said pivot is adaptedto move, said top bar being also provided with a series ofinwardly-extending notches adapted to receive the tops of theother pairof legs, and a spreader for maintaining said legs apart and to cause thetops of same to firmly grip sald top bar.

8. In a trestle, the combination with two pairs of legs, a pivotconnecting the tops of one of said pairs, a sectional top bar, thesections being hinged horizontally and the bar being adapted to slidablyengage said pivot and to removably engage the tops of the other pair oflegs at various points in the length of the beam.

9. In a trestle, the combination with two pairs of legs, a pivotconnecting the top of one of said pairs, a sectional bar, the sectionsbeing hinged horizontally and provided with a slot at one end, withinwhich said ivot is adapted to move, said top bar being a so providedwith a series of inwardly-extending notches adapted to receive the topsof the other pair of legs, and a spreader for maintaining said legsapart and to cause the tops of same to firmly grip said top bar.

10. In a trestle, the combination with two pairs of legs, connectedtogether, of a pivot connecting the tops of one of said pairs, asectional bar adapted to engage said pivot at a plurality of points andremovably engage the top of the other pair of legs, at a plurality ofpoints, a hinge connecting the sections of said bar and a movablereinforcing-piece covering said hinge.

1 1. In a trestle, the combination with supports, of a top bar providedwith a slot at one end, a series of notches within said slotted portion,the top of said bar above said slotted portion being chamfered, and aseries of inwardly-extending notches on the lower portion of the otherend of said bar said supports being adapted to engage said notches andchamfered portion.

12. In a trestle, the combination with suports, of a top bar comprisingtwo parts 'nged together horizontally and provided with a slot at oneend, a series of notches within said slotted portion, the top of saidbar above said slotted portion being chamfered, and a series of inwardlyextending notches on the lower portion of the other end of said bar saidsupports being adapted to engage said notches and chamfered portion.

13. In a trestle, the combination with supports, of a top bar comprisingtwo parts inged together horizontally, said hinged portion beingnormally covered by a movable reinforcing-piece, and provided with aslot at one end, a series of notches within said slotted portion, thetop of said bar above said slotted portion being chamfered, and a seriesof in wardly-extending notches on the lower portion of the other end ofsaid bar said supports being adapted to engage said notches andchamfered portions.

5 14. A folding trestle, comprising a slotted top piece, legs providedwith two supportingpoints, said slotted'top piece being provided with aplurality of shoulders adapted to engage said supporting-points so thateach of 10 said supporting-points may be adjusted to different positionsalong the length of said top piece.

15. A folding trestle, comprising a top piece, a support arranged toengage said top plece at two points, said points of support be- I 5 mgadjustable along the length of said top piece, and said support beingprovided Wit M; E. SHiELDs, G. Y. DANKWARD.

